Machine for compressing and evening felt and expelling water from the same



(No Model.) I

C. H. MERRITT.

MACHINE FOR GOMPRESSING AND EVENING FELT AND EXPELLING WATER FROM THE SAME.

Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

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CHARLES H. MERRITT, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR COMPRESSING AND EVENING FELT AND EXPELLING WATER FROM THE SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 331,4:23, dated December 1, 1885.

Application filed July 11, 1885.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. MERRITT, of Danbury, county of Fairlield, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Compressing and Evening Felt and Expelling WVater from the Same, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my improvement is to produce a simple and effective machine for taking out from felted articles creases which occur in their treatment, particularly in the process of sizing, and for compressing the felt, evening the felt, or rendering it uniform, and expelling the water contained in the felt.

The machine is of a kind known as a pinning-out machine.

I will describe a machine embodying my improvement, and then point out the various features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a machine embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a View of the front end of the machine. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofa machine similar to the one shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that it is a double machine for operat ing upon two articles at the same time,whereas the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a single machine, or one adapted for operating upon but one article at a time. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of parts of a machine illustrating a modification.

Similar letters of reference designate "corresponding parts in all the figures.

A represents a support for the hat or other article to be operated upon. It is supported upon a post or' standard, 13, which is shown as having connected to it a brace, C, for strengthening and steadying it. The post B and the brace C may be advantageously made of wood. The support A will preferably be made of metal. It is shown as having a socket, a, on the under side for securing it to the post B by fitting upon the same. The support extends rearwardly beyond the post 13, as here shown. It tapers rearwardly both laterally and from the under side upward. It has preferably a greater projection along the center from end to end than at the side portions. As shown, it has a central elevated portion, at, extending lengthwise at the top.

Serial No. 171,298. (No model.)

It may be advantageously made hollow, in order to lighten it, and also to enable it to receive hot water or steam, if desirable.

D designates a roller, preferably made of metal, journaled in a frame, E, which is connected bya rod, F, to acrank-pin, G, whereby it and the roller are reciprocated over the support A lengthwise of the latter. As shown, the roller D is journaled to the frame E by means of a rod extending through the roller and through the ends of said frame.

The frame Eand rod F may be made integral or made separately and connected in any desirable-manner.

To the frame E and adjacent portion of the rod F a platform, H, is connected by means of rivets, screws, or other means. This platform may be of any desirable shapeas, for instance, circular. A rod, I, extends upwardly from this platform. Weights J, which may be of any suitable shapeas, for instance, the same shape as platform H, and which have perforations through then1are slipped over the rod I and supported upon the platform H. Any number of these weights J may be used, according to the degree of pressure with which the roller is desired to operate upon an article subjected to it.

The crank-pin G extends from a crank-arm, G, which is affixed to a rotary shaft, G mounted in bearings upon standards K,which may be made of wood or other suitable material. Preferably the arm G will be longitudinally slotted, and the crank-pin G will be fitted to the slot, and have combined with it means whereby it can be clamped in any desirable position. Thus provision will be afforded for varying the length of the reciprocation of the roller D over the support A. To the crank pin is fitted a ring, G having formed integral with it a socket, G, which receives the rod F, and is furnished with a screw, G Thus provision is afi'orded for connecting the rod F at different portions of its length with the crank-pin. This is advantageous, as it provides for causing the roller D to reciprocate over any desirable portion of the support A. The roller D is supported solely by support A, even when moving over an article subjected to its action and arranged upon the support. Its reciprocation is intended to be IOO such that it will never be moved beyond the support A. A counter-balance, G, may be arranged upon the shaft G".

Two of the machines which I have described may be connected together, so as to form a double machine, as I have shown in Fig. 8. When this is done their crank-arms G will preferably be set reversely, so that one machine will counterbalance the other. A single shaft, G will be used for the two crank-arms. The shaft G in any case may be rotated by any suitable meansas, for instance, by a belt operating in conjunction with a pulley affixed upon said shaft, and also with a pulley arranged loosely on said shaft, so as to afford facility by shifting the belt for running or stopping the machine at pleasure.

A hat to be treated on my machine will be slipped over the rear end of support A after having been inserted in boiling water, and the reciprocation of the roller D is to be such that it will, at the extremity of its forward movement, pass beyond the hat. WVhen it has thus passed beyond the hat, the hat may be turned upon the support A to present a new surface to the action of the roller. Of course the roller may be reciprocated any desired number of times over any one portion or surface of the hat before the hat is turned around upon the support, in order that any creases or projections or unevenness in the hat may be worked out. The hat while being treated is acted upon by the roller while supported upon the elevated portion a of the support A. By means of the elevated portion a of the support A the action of the roller is rendered more effective than if the weight of the roller and its appurtenances were extended over a greater amount of surface. Not only may creases, projections, or unevenness in the hat be thus taken out, but the felt will be compressed and the water contained in it will be expelled.

The action of the roller in my machine is much more uniform than the action of a rollerv operated by manual power, because the latter is subject to variations as the operator becomes more or less tired. I

Hats treated in my machine are prepared for the shaving-machine in a very superior manner.

I may treat hats or other articles while doubled and laid on the support A, instead of slipping them over the said support. Then the support A may advantageously be made narrower than the doubled article. It may be desirable to relieve the tips of hats being treated from some of the pressure under which the roller D is operated. When this is the case, I may arrange a rail, T, in such position that the roller will travel along it, and incline it so that its rear end will be higher than the forward end and higher than the support A. Such rail may be supported at the forward end upon a pivot extending from the support A at the rear end by a leg, T, made of two hollow sections, and having an intermediate rod, 15, fitted into them and provided with a head extending outward between the sections. By screw threading the rod where it fits in one section it may be rotated to elongate or shorten the leg and adjust the rail.

Although I have shown the support A in a horizontal position and the roller D reciprocated in a horizontal plane, I may have the support A in a vertical plane or in any angle to a vertical or horizontal plane, the roller being always made to work in a corresponding plane. I

The Weights shown by me form a simple and convenient means for applying pressure to the roller D; but weight applied otherwise will subserve the same purpose. Indeed, spring-power may even be used.

One method of utilizing springpower is shown in Fig. 4.. Here a rod, F, connected to the rod F, reciprocates in a guide,Q, affixed to one of the standards K,whereby it is held down. The roller D is journaled in bearings contained in housings or slots in the frame E. A spring, R, forces the bearings and roller toward the support A, and a screw, 1?, affords a means for varying the tension of the spring.

In lieu of a rotary roller, D, I may use a non-rotary device, which, when reciprocated, will slide over and rub the article being treated, instead of rolling along the same.

I am aware of United States Patent No. 91,670, dated June 22, 1869, and United States Patent No. 203,147, dated April 30, 1878, and I do not herein lay claim to anything claimed therein.

What I claim as my invention, and desir to secure by Letters Patent, is.-

1. The combination, with a support for a felt hat or analogous article, of a roller arranged adjacent to the same, and mechanism for reciprocating the roller lengthwise of the said support, so as to cause it to travel along and beyond an article arranged upon the support, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with a support for a felt hat or analogous article, of a roller arranged adjacent to the same, a weight or spring for forcing the roller toward the support, and mechanism for reciprocating the roller length- IIO IIS

wise of the said support, so as to cause it to travel along and beyond an article arranged upon the support, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with a support for a felt hat or analogous article, of a roller arranged adjacent to the same, a frame in which the roller is journaled, a rod connected to said frame, a crank-pin connected to the rod, and a crank-arm mounted upon a shaft and having the crank-pin adj ustably connected to it, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with a support for a felt hat or analogous article, of a roller arranged adjacent'to the same, a frame in which the roller is journaled, a rod connected to said frame, a crank-pin with which the rod is adjustably connected, a crank-arm carrying said the rod, and a crank-arm mounted upon ashaft crank-pin, and ashaft upon which said crankand having the crank-pin adjustably connect- IO arm is mounted, substantially as specified. ed to it, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a support forafelt 5 hat or analogous article, of a roller arranged GEARLES MERRITT' adjacent to the same, a frame in which the XVitnesses: roller is journaled, a rod connected to said W. G. LIPSEY,

frame, a crank-pin adjustably connected to DANIEL H. DRISOOLL. 

